1) Identify the replacement cost of the asset based on present land and construction cost inputs at present day prices. Do the same for prices as at 2017, which have now gone up irreversibly due to inflation, since ten years ago. That difference is the target acquisition prices we strive to achieve. We may not reach it entirely, but every 1% in that direction is locking in a gain that will contribute to the overall profit and ROI on the investment. For example, locking in a gain of 3-5% on entry and similar on exit, together add 6-10% onto the inflationary holding period gain of 6-10%, thereby doubling the total accounting profit gain to 12%-20%, in addition to any rental income gains achieved. 

2) Identify the seller’s sensitivity price points, and package your purchase proposal in a way to easily overcome the most obvious psychological obstacles. How is this done? By applying tried and tested techniques use repeatedly during the last 40 years. Those insights are revealed in the private consultation.

3) For investment budgeting for CIP/CBI citizenship planning in Turkiye, the valuation process must be managed, and the tried and tested techniques used for buying with mortgage finance for the last 20 years in Turkiye, also serve this purpose, integrated into the process..

4) Locking in half the profit at the time of purchase is a very gratifying result and the goal of every successful professional investor.

A property purchase or sale negotiation by unknowing foreigner buyers in Turkiye begins at the earliest step of first contact with an agent- but local Turks do NOT do business this way, instead avoiding agents. The first essential step to starting the process correctly, is specifically to avoid the steps agents recommend to guide buyers, which enable agents to prey on the buyers and sellers to capture huge profit mark-ups, which are hidden from the buyer.

A simple generalization of guidance provides some insight into the challenges of services provided by agents:“Believe half of what you see, and nothing that you hear…"

For a buyer, the best way to begin the process, is at the first stage of looking for a property, and MyTapu Associates provides a Property Search & Selection Service that not only provides the widest selection of property choices from the whole market, many directly from owners (without agents), and also integrates Negotiation and the complete range of Transaction Services, if the investing buyer so instructs. More information here.

For a seller, the best way to begin the process, is at the first stage of looking for a buyer for the property, and MyTapu Associates provides a Property Sales Services that are the standard method used by locals, making it possible to attract the widest selection of buyers from everywhere in Turkiye and the world, (without agents), and also integrates Negotiation and the complete range of Transaction Services, if the seller so instructs. More information here.

Both buyers and sellers benefit from the digital internet based on-line portals that are the source of 95% of all property transactions in Turkiye. If an agent is saying their website is a portal, avoid that agent- because saying that is a false claim. 'On-line Portals ' have in-built chat box messaging systems with integrated email that enable buyers and sellers to communicate directly with each other, without agents being involved. Agents' websites obviously do not have this feature, for the very good reasons explained below.  

The procedures are different in Turkiye than in other countries, and an un-suspecting buyer that believes otherwise, places his capital at risk and his conscious at risk. Owning a property in Turkiye provides for an improvement in the quality of living and lifestyle, and Professional Transaction Services protect that dream, and prevent the nightmare.

The very attractive lifestyle benefits of owning a property in Turkiye, are offset by the regrettable practices of estate agents and the solicitors that they refer to. Following the procedures recommended by agents, guides unsuspecting and unknowledgeable buyers into situations where non-Turkish speaking international buyers pay far above local market prices, often for properties that are in some way defective. 

Avoiding this situation requires a recognition of a simple reality. The internet search engine listings for property in Turkiye in non-Turkish foreign languages like English and Arabic, lead straight to the websites of agents that apply these regrettable business practices. These same agents do not even appear in a search engine listing in Turkish. The reason is simple- these type of agents serving foreign investors pay money for various techniques to obtain results for top search engine listings and rankings in foreign languages to catch unsuspecting foreign buyers.

These agents can afford to pay this money because the procedures and practices the agents apply when dealing with foreign buyers and sellers, ensure they profit far more than merely from collecting a 2-3 % commission. This is their ‘standard business practice’, involving a series of steps that are intentionally designed to limit a foreign buyer’s negotiating power, and visibility. Usually these steps are combined with different pressure tactics involving fictitiously created urgency, and other emotional and psychological tactics, accompanied by persuasive skills, and often various degrees of dramatic amateur ‘acting’. 

These practices typically involve the ‘hidden price mark-up’ scam – where-by an agent agrees not to charge a seller (or developer/constructor) a commission, if the agent can keep all money obtained by selling the property for more than a specific price level. And the profit from selling above that price- the hidden price mark up -  agents put in their pocket as their profit- often shared with the attorneys they recommend to clients, the Citizenship CBI/CIP consultants they work with, valuation experts, and mortgage brokers that provide false assurances of mortgage finance, just to encourage the client’s to make deposit payments in advance. 

Just because an agent’s website is now providing information on ‘Due Diligence’, does NOT mean they actually perform professional Due Diligence. Usually, the agent has simply obtained the information on this and other topics from MyTapu’s website and placed onto their own website to appear legitimate… a common practice for years !

Avoiding these practices can NOT be done by using an agent that relies on these practices for their business, because no matter what persuasive assurances they provide, these practices ARE their business- not providing standard real estate agency services. So for example, if a buyer wants to offer a price without deposit or below listing price to a seller, the agent’s usual ploy will be to not to inform the seller at all, and eventually inform the buyer falsely.’ there is another buyer at a higher price’ , or ‘the property has been sold’, or ‘the property has been taken off the market’… and neither the seller nor the buyer will know any different – because they both rely on the agent’s communication. This is a major reason why local Turk’s do not use agents. In summary, the only business these agents are interested in doing, is the business of capturing the hidden price mark-up profit- they won’t bother doing anything else. Which becomes understandable when realizing that the ‘hidden price mark-up profits’ can amount to as much as 80% higher than the true sales price.

Yes, FOR a factual real world EXAMPLE, a USD $ 100,000 price mark-up on a  $ 186,000 property being offered for sale at $ 286,000 in Kagithane, istanbul. 

The additional details, tactics, and solutions all derive from, MyTapu Associates 18+ years of experience dealing with these challenges and guiding, advising, and managing residential real estate transactions in Turkiye…. 

Learn more about the Transaction Services available for buyers and sellers- contact info@MyTapu.com about ‘Transaction Services'... click here.

Read more details in articles...
• Directory of Articles (by Categories) 
• Property Valuations & Appraisal Reports (5 articles)
• Legal Help, Due Diligence, Conveyance (7 articles)
• Property Relates Taxes in Turkiye
• Tapu Issues (7articles)
• Independent Professional Advice (6 articles )
• Reviews about MyTapu Associates (2 articles)
• Buying Property in Turkiye (21)
• Selling property in Turkey (13 articles)
• Property Price Trends in Turkiye

This article briefly mentions:

• Traditional Low Risk, Low Cost Solutions:
• Payment Risk: A Payment is an Exchange- for What ?
• Payment by Digital Transfers:
• Cash & Precious Metals Payments:
• Non- Digital & Non-Cash Payments- Documentary Payments:
• New Low Risk, Low Cost Solutions:
• Beware Agent’s Advice:

As of July 1^st, 2026 new regulations come into effect requiring:

• The payment for real estate property purchases in Turkiye to be accompanied by a local commercial bank’s documented proof of transfer.
• The price and value must be the same as declared at the land registry and appearing on any contract.
• The de facto payment procedure has now switched over to the ‘New Low Risk, Low Cost Solutions’ described below- a very positive development for protection of both buying investors and selling investors.
• The reasons for this change pertain to tax collection, in addition to fraud mitigation.